1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Assistant Secretary U.S. Department Washington, DC 20590 

of Transportation 

Office of the Secretary April 14,,2010 

of Transportation 

The Honorable Paul Natale 


Mayor of Comm.erce City 


Commerce City, CO 80022 

Dear Mayor Natale: 

Thapk you for your letter of March 8 supporting the application for antitrust immunity filed by 

All Nippon Airways, United Air Lines, and Continental Airlines. lam responding on behalf of 

Secretary LaHood. 

As you may know, the applicants-members ofthe Star Alliance-are seeking antitrust 


immunity to closely coordinate flights between the United States and Asia. According to the 


application, the alliance partners plan to launch a joint venture for conveyance oftranspacific 


traffic. 


The application is administered in a public docket, which ensures that interested parties have the 

. opportunity to comment~ The U.s. Department ofTransportation (DOT) will evaluate the 

application according to rigorous statutory standards, beginning with a review ofthe record to 

determine ifit is substantially complete. Decisions on the application are made in consultation 

with the U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division following a thorough analysis of . 

competitive factors. As this matter is now pending,! hope you understand that I cannot 

comment on the merits ofthe application. I can assure you, however, that DOT will give full 

and fair consideration to the application as well as any comments filed in the docket. 

As is our normal practice, I am placing a copy of your letter and this response in Docket 

DOT·OST·2010-0059 as a contact outside the record in this matter. I appreciate your interest in 

this prooeeding. 

Susan L. Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs . 
l;, ~ ~ ~""'\l,...;l,-1__ 

;- t i!'~11 

Commerce 

CITY 


S] 0-1 00322-()()8 


March 8,2010 

The Honorable Raymond H. LaHood 

Secretary 

United States Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.B. 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Dear Secretary LaHood: 

On behalf of the City of Commerce City, this letter is in support of a ,grant of antitrust 

immunity (ATI) filed by United Airlines,Continental and All Nippon Airways (ANA) with 

the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). DOT approval would provide travelers and 

businesses with a variety of benefits, including lower fares on more routes, increased 

services, better schedules and reduced travel and conriection times. 

Granting 'antitrust immunity will facilitate the,· implem~t1~~ti()11 of a new U.S-Japan Open 

Skies agreement. As you are aware, until DOT approves the ATI request, the Open Skies 

agreement will not be activated. Open Skies with Japan is an enormous achievement and is 

designed toboostairHne competition and lower fares for consumers. Once, this important 

application is approved, Open Skies will increase travel choices and enhance competition, 

resulting in greate!" benefits to carriers and their customers. I applaud you for bringing 

togeth~r indi,,~quals from ,the ~viation industry,' as Vv,eV.as other interested parties, to 

undertake ail open and serio,us discussion about competition in aviation . .J.: "f " ,: ) t • 	 , • , . 

Antitrust iln'mlulitY'·will t'ns~re'U.S. and foreign airlines. have,' the opportunity to compete 

freely.. In this challenging, 'economic environment, 'our'· airlines need to pursue all 

opportunities to allo~ thel);i and the businesses within th«{communlties they serve to stay 

competitive in an i!l,Cl;~~irigly) g!pbal marketp1ace. In CommerceCity, Colorado, the airline 

industry isa ,va,ua.b~e:: re~,Oi.i~e f<?r our community. We reCognize and welcome the 

significant ec~)D~mic, iq;pact"an,d growth opportunities that approval of this application presents. . . '.," ,.., 

We thank you for your work to achieve the U.S.-Japan Open Skies a~ee~ent,~nd look 

forward to your approval ofthe pending application. 

Sincerely, 

cc: 	

Mayor 

JerrY 

Paul 

Flannery. 

NataJe . ; 

City 

.,' 

~ 

M,anager 

The HononibleMichael Bennet 

The HonorableMik~Coffman ~. 

The Hono:rabt~D\~m~ OeGette , ; 

The Honorable'Qoug ltamb()rn 

The aonorable Betsy:Mwkey 

The'ilonorable Ed Pertmutter 

The Honorable Jared Polis 

The HC)ll'oiableJoffi'(Saiazal i" . . . 	 ,."!ii. ,'.' _,t'''' :If)iJ ,.qr 

' ..' 

7887 East 60th Avenue, Commerce City, CO 80022 Tel: (303) 289·3620 Fax: (303) 289·,3688